Syndarella
by DoWnpOuR
Summary: my version of cinderella...
1. I

Author's Note: This is my very own, original version of the fairy tale Cinderella. It really isn't anything like the cartoon by Disney or the story by...I think it was the Three Brothers Grimm. But the general idea isn't mine...but as you will see this is definitely my own twist on things. I hope you enjoy. (R/R)  
  
*******  
  
It was that time of the year, when we had to walk around the villages and greet all the servants and people who lived on our land. Actually it was Papa's but this year I was old enough to join them on the trip. My brother Francis has been going for the past three years and he always teases me when I can't go. But this year I am going...whether he likes it or not.  
  
Who am I? My name is Sydney Rochesester de la Memoria. What a name, huh? My father is the Duke de la Memoria, but I simply call him Papa. He is a French man but we live here in England, because my that is what my new stepmother wants. You see I was born in France along with my older brother. My mother died when I was only seven, which makes my brother only 12. I don't remember her, but he does and each day he goes to the chapel to offer prayers for her soul. He always used to tell me stories of how she was a beautiful princess and he always described her as having hair that was a bright golden color and flowed to all the way to the floor. He says she was young and happy, and never cross even when he locked me in the pigsty! I don't remember that but since I hate pigs it must be true.  
  
Then she died and left us all alone. No one has ever told me how she died, I just remember that one day she wasn't there. Along came the first stepmother, but she didn't last long. Her name was Marie and she wasn't much older than I was at the time. I was ten and she was fourteen. She died in childbirth with my little sister Anne Marie. Anne Marie is in Russia with her grandfather and will likely stay there for the rest of her life. Her grandpapa says that English air is bad for one's health.  
  
Then when I was fourteen, Papa found another young girl, she was nineteen and he hoped that she would last through child birth as she was older and stronger. But I never got a sibling from her; she died from a terrible fever. It was a warm summer day and we were sewing in the garden underneath my favorite willow tree. She fell over and started coughing up blood. I was so terrified I couldn't run for help. Francis came along and he went to get Papa. A doctor was called and they bled her. I remember seeing them put the leeches all over her body and face. I ran away and cried silently in my room, because those things are horrible. She coughed up blood and shook violently and called out in her sleep for over a fortnight, but she died one night in her fitful sleeping and the funeral was small and not many attended since she didn't have a family.  
  
And now I am sixteen years of age, ready to be wed and I have a new stepmother. She is awful! Not in looks, no in fact she is beautiful. Dark raven hair and a light cream complexion, but she is coarse and I suspect not of noble blood. She doesn't like me at all, because many rich men come and ask father for me in marriage. She won't allow it since her daughters are a year older and should go first. They are not at all pretty and if they were their looks would be spoiled by their attitude. They are both seventeen and supposed to be twins but they look nothing alike. The first one, her name is Adele and she is tall, thin and very awkward. Her bones jut out from her skin and when she walks she looks like a bird. Her hair is blonde and stringy and just hangs at her side with no life. She is incredibly rude and haughty; if nothing is her way she will hit you and scream. I heard one of the stable boys call her a shrew!  
  
The second is Martha, she is short and round and rosy. Her dark hair is a mass of curls that fly everywhere to the annoyance of her mother. If her eyes weren't so close to her nose and she didn't have such a thin mouth I believe she would be pretty. But oh she is so whiny. All she does is moan and complain and she won't do a single thing by herself. If my stepmother could I think she would make me their personal servant. Luckily Papa won't hear of me doing anything a servant should do.  
  
It is time to go for the inspection. Only Francis, Papa, some troops and I will go, the "terrible two" as Francis calls my stepsisters don't want to hurt their delicate sensibilities. I don't know what that means because there isn't anything delicate about them!  
  
*******  
  
As we traveled through the village I looked about at the people who lived there. I was sitting up on my horse wrapped in snug furs that were keeping me very warm. The snow reached nearly up to my knees and more of it was falling about us. It wasn't falling hard; in fact it was just lightly dusting the brown grass visible through the cleared paths. I felt it was coming down only to say, "Look at me! Aren't I pretty?" Of course snow isn't human and can't feel insulted by the fact we cleared it out of our way to walk.  
  
The houses were all huddled together and they were made out of spare wooden frames and tightly packed straw for the roof and sides. In the snow I could make out poor children frolicking. I was deeply concerned that they weren't dressed properly. The boys were in thin pants and many had holes in them. The shoes they wore, if they wore any looked to be thin leather that couldn't offer much protection. If you are wondering how I see their shoes in all the snow it is because one of the older boys was dangling a smaller one upside down in the snow. As we came further into the village I saw what looked like a church nestled in the middle of houses. This was the only building that wasn't made of straw. It looked to be stone and wood. The church was also the only one to have smoke coming from the roof. I kicked my horse lightly so it would move up to my father.  
  
"Papa, why don't they have furs on? And why is only the church have a fire burning inside?" I asked him. My brother looked over at me as if I was a dolt.  
  
"They are poor, Sydney, how could they afford furs? And their homes would burn with fires inside." Francis explained condescendingly.  
  
"Well build better homes," I told him.  
  
"They don't have any money to do that," Papa explained quietly. I grew silent and looked at the children playing. They seemed so happy, but they must be cold and I am sure many of them will grow sick. Papa stopped his horse in front of the church and a plump friar came out to greet him.  
  
"Hello m'lord," he bowed deeply. Papa nodded and the man straightened up. "My name is Friar Paul and I am very pleased to see that you are well and so is your family."  
  
"Thank-you," Papa boomed out in his great voice he used only with people who were of a lesser stature than himself.  
  
"Would you like a list of things we request this year?" Friar Paul asked him. I began to ask what he was talking about but Francis put a gloved hand on my arm.  
  
"We do these rounds, and Papa receives a list of requests each time. Mostly for building materials and land rights but occasionally there is a serious problem," he hissed into my ear.  
  
"What is a serious problem?" I whispered back.  
  
"Bandits, gypsies, wild animals, disputes with other villages," Francis replied, still in his hissing voice.  
  
"Oh," I sounded quite lame but this was all new to me.  
  
"Papa is the only lord to do this for his people so they are very lucky," Francis straightened in his horse and watched silently as the Friar handed Papa a scroll. A few young women came out of the church and my brother glanced at them with interest. All of them were very pretty, but I knew my brother was too smart to want them for anything other than a quick tumble. That may seem like a horrible phrase for a girl my age to use, but sadly it is true. I didn't even know what that meant until I caught Francis with a maid in the library on one of the chairs. I still think it is rather hard to tumble when you are on a chair but I am only a virgin so I don't know about these things.  
  
Friar Paul was talking animatedly with his arms swinging wildly in the air. His face was turning beet red and I decided to listen in again because the man was very excited about what he was saying.  
  
"...M'lord there were thirty of them. Thieves, they were, took all our livestock and half the woman. We didn't have much else for them to take. Killed many of the men with arrows. We don't know what to do. This was a week ago but the leader promised he would return. We all stay in the church so that when they come we will have some sort of protection..."the Friar babbled on and I stopped interested in what he was saying.  
  
I never have seen a thief or a gypsy and I always wanted to. They seemed so exciting and..OH MY! Francis just fell off his horse. No one else seemed to notice so I went help him up. I jumped off my own stallion and plodded over to him. "Francis you big oaf.." I whispered playfully. Walking around his horse I saw him lying face down in the snow with blood pouring out all around him. He had an arrow that went straight through his heart sticking out. I yelled loudly and Papa came running over. He starting swearing and lifted my brother onto his lap. The Friar was running for the town physician and the girls had run back into the church.  
  
I fell into the snow on my knees tears pouring over his body, and buried my face into his shoulder. He didn't move or talk and I felt his breathing slowly leave. He was dead before the doctor even made it over. My brother was dead. He died in my arms and from that moment on my life was never the same. 


	2. II

After my brother died, my father slowly went crazy. He wouldn't eat or sleep, and certainly didn't impregnate my stepmother. All he thought about was who could of done something that horrible. He blames it on the peasants and the visits yearly stopped. About two months after my brother was buried we were sitting at the large oak table and eating supper. He cleared his throat and we all looked up.  
  
"I am going on a trip," he started. I raised my eyebrows in surprise but said nothing. My stepmother on the other hand wasn't so tactful.  
  
"Why? If you are gone how will I buy pretty jewels and take care of the marriage arrangements for my daughter?" she demanded. The girls chimed in agreement.  
  
"I need to go find the man responsible for the death of my son," he told her. She pouted.  
  
"It's been months Papa, will you still find him?" I asked quietly. I didn't want him to leave but knew he had to, and I wasn't one to be selfish.  
  
"I must or I will drive myself to death with wonder," he explained.  
  
"For God's Sake then just do it! I will be a wealthy widow and can offer a dowry for my daughters that would attract even a prince!" my stepmother yelled. My father looked over at her and his face grew red.  
  
"Woman, marrying you was the biggest mistake in my life, even more so than going to that village where my son died. You are a spoiled selfish bitch and no man would want your pitiful and ugly daughters even for all the gold in the world," he spoke quietly but his words pierced my stepmother and she stood up.  
  
"Well, I regret the day I ever spread my legs for you," she retorted and swept out of the room, her daughters following her in tears. I thought that was a pathetic answer but that was all my stepmother was at the time...pathetic.  
  
"Papa that was cruel!" I exclaimed. Even if I hated them I would never be that cruel.  
  
"Sydney, that woman is a shrew and I wish I never met her," he said quietly. He stood up and looked around. "I will go now, I can't take you and might never see you again. Come here and I will tell you a secret." I stood up and walked over to him. I wrapped him a big hug as tears were streaming down my face. He bent his head and whispered something to me that would later bring me much comfort. I nodded and backed off.  
  
"Have a good journey Papa," I called to him as I ran out of the room in tears. I think I heard him murmur back "have a good life."  
  
*******  
  
"Get up you useless whore!" my stepmother slapped me with a broom and urged me to get out of bed. I sat up and blinked at her. She was standing at the end of my bed with her horrible daughters glaring down at me angrily.  
  
"What the hell do you want?" I spat out angrily.  
  
"Get up! Get out of those clothes, find some rags and get to work," she sneered at me. My eyes widened in disbelief. I had more a right to live in this house than she did!  
  
"I think my dearest stepmother that the roles are reversed!" I informed her coldly. She laughed at me and her despicable daughters joined in.  
  
"No my dear, you are my responsibility and if I want you to lick the chamber pots you need to do it. It is the newest law proclaimed by our dear decript king." she looked at me smugly and I looked up in horror and defeat. I dragged myself out of bed and then stripped off my clothes in front of them while they looked on. To humiliate me further she forced me to walk to the servant's wing naked and open to any who passed by. My heart was ripped out when the servants glanced away and hung their heads in shame and pity for me. I was of noble blood and they felt pity for me! I couldn't let my head fall or that would mean my stepmother would win.  
  
We got to the servants wing and she forced me to put on a coarse cloth that scratched my soft skin and then we walked back to my room and she took all of my rich and beautiful clothes and gave them to Adele and Martha! Even though they wouldn't even fit them. She put all my shoes in a sack and took my fur coat and commanded me to walk with her. I followed behind her and we went outside. She threw all my beautiful shoes and coat into the pigsty!  
  
"If you still want them, you can get them yourself," she sneered and turned to walk away. Then she paused and flipped her head back to me. "Whose daughter is pitiful now?" she laughed cruelly and went back inside. I stood outside next to the pigpen, with tears streaming down my face and shaking with anger. Luckily spring was almost here and I didn't really need my fur cloak but the nerve of that wretched woman! I saw one of the maids come out to meet me.  
  
"Miss! Madame told me to come and get you; today she said you would work in the laundry. Oh that is awful, it will ruin your soft hands and no one will be able to tell you are noble," she gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. "I didn't mean it like that, miss. I am so sorry!" she bowed and begged forgiveness.  
  
"Calm down, Sarah. That is your name is it not?" I asked. The girl nodded. "Okay then Sarah let's go to the laundry and see what must be done? I assume you are to accompany me?" She nodded again and we set off. Sarah began to chatter endlessly now that I hadn't punished her. But, then again there wasn't a reason to, she only stated the truth and I always thought it was pointless to punish someone who spoke it.  
  
We reached to laundry and I gasped when we walked in. The air was so hot and sticky and oh the smell was dreadful! It smelled of people and cleaning powders. "Why doesn't it smell like the perfume we use on our clothes?" I asked puzzled. Sarah looked at me and smiled.  
  
"That is done after we clean and air these. Do you want me to do your washing so you don't spoil your hands? That is her plan you know?" Sarah offered and I thought it was sweet but I didn't want anyone's pity. I would do this all by myself.  
  
"No thank you but that is very sweet of you to offer. I will remember you when Papa comes home and the witch is gone," I promised and then rolled up my sleeves. Then I spent the rest of the day with my hands in scalding hot water with the smelly, abrasive soap that I never knew the servants had to use to clean the dresses of my family. Funny thing was, why did they spend so much time cleaning them, my stepmother and stepsisters just sat around all day and rarely even walked around, their clothes wouldn't be dirty. Then again, just the essence of them was enough to ruin any fabric, I just hoped it wouldn't ruin me.  
  
******* Every day for the next week she woke me up with a broom. The only difference was I wasn't in my soft bed with silk sheets. I stood up groggily to wait what she would have me do. She made me go clean laundry for the past week and even though she desperately wanted it to spoil my hands it didn't. She was irritated and didn't think I was actually doing my work, and stood and watched me for the entire day, adding more and more of that awful soap to my load. Yet they stayed white and soft.  
  
"You will get up by yourself from now on. If I have to come get you one more time I will have you severely whipped is that understood?" she snapped in my face.  
  
"Whatever," I replied rubbing the sleep away from my eyes. When I could see clearly I saw that her face was turning a bright purple and she was going to yell. But she didn't instead she stopped and laughed haughtily in my face.  
  
"Today, you can clean out the stables, and then the barn and then all of the chimneys need to be seeped out," she informed me and I nearly stuck out my tongue but stopped myself in time, which is good, since I'm sure I saved myself a beating!  
  
"You want me to do all of that today?" I asked in disbelief.  
  
"Oh that is right why don't you work all night too? Get more work done. Then wash up the smell. You need to make Adele a new dress for the royal ball," she sniffed.  
  
"What royal ball?" I asked slightly mimicking her tone but if she noticed she didn't show it.  
  
"There is a ball in two days for all the woman to come. It is one of twelve balls. At each one the woman attend. Then if the pass inspection they receive an invitation to the next and so on. Honestly don't you know anything about your country?" she asked me in a disapproving tone.  
  
"Dear stepmother how could I when I am your slave locked away to do your work?" I retorted sarcastically.  
  
"That is quite enough of that talk. Get to work!" I trudged out of the small room and went outside to begin my torture. Tears rolled down my cheeks, because if Papa were here, I would be going to the ball and not that witch and her ugly daughters! 


End file.
